Three from Colton, Rialto Arrested in Cabazon in 'Stolen Vehicle with Firearm'

A man and two women from San Bernardino County were arrested Thursday night in Cabazon on suspicion of vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, and being a felon with a firearm, a sheriff's sergeant said Friday.

A deputy from the Cabazon Station was in a patrol vehicle equipped with an automated license plate reader about 10:30 p.m. Thursday when he saw a Honda speeding through the roundabout at Apache Trail and the ramps to Interstate 10, Sgt. James Burton of the sheriff's Cabazon Station said in a statement.

"The vehicle stopped near a gas pump of the Morongo Travel Center, located at 49020 Seminole Dr., Cabazon," Burton said. "The deputy's ALPR notified him that the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Redlands. A high risk traffic stop was conducted and three subjects were detained."

A team of deputies with a trained dog searched the vehicle and they found "a Springfield XD .45 caliber handgun that had been reported stolen by Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Industry Station, three glass methamphetamine pipes, a significant amount of state disability checks which appeared stolen or forged, and miscellaneous identifying paperwork for subjects not in the vehicle," Burton said.

Investigators will do further background work on the checks and paperwork, Burton said.

The people in the Honda, identified as Ernest Hernandez, 44, Tracy Carr, 40, and Angelina Acosta, 27, were arrested late Thursday and booked at Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, Burton said.

Acosta was already wanted on felony burglary and misdemeanor burglary warrants, Burton said.

"The automatic license plate readers were purchased and provided through a gaming mitigation grant funded by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, in support of the Sheriff's Department's efforts to prevent and deter crime in the local communities," Burton said. "This is just one example of the effectiveness of their support and partnership in these efforts."

Anyone with more information was urged to contact the Cabazon Station at (951) 922-7100 or send an email to CabazonStation@RiversideSheriff.org.